Don't You Love Me?
by Reach For Me
Summary: Lightningheart learns a terrible secret about Willowmist. She lied to him and betrayed him.


**This is my entry to Moonblaze 13's "Once Upon a Broken Heart" challenge. I hope you enjoy!**

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A golden tom with long legs and a well-muscled lean body, squirrel in his jaws, padded up to a gray and white she-cat with a huge belly.

"Here you go, Willowmist," he mewed, green eyes sparkling with love. "I know how much you love squirrel."

Willowmist purred as her mate settled down beside her and ran his tail over her swollen belly. She bit into the mouse hungrily. "Thank you Lightningheart."

She glanced across the clearing at a lean black tom with icy blue eyes. _Nightfrost, _she thought. Willowmist loved Nightfrost as much as she loved Lightningheart. But Willowmist had chosen Lightningheart over him. That didn't change how much she loved him.

Lightingheart knew nothing about how they had loved each other. Willowmist and Nightfrost used to take walks in the forest together at night. They had played and chased each other, the usually cold black warrior showing Willowmist a side no other cat had ever seen. Nightfrost respected her decision though. Lightningheart was the kind of cat that shoved his whole being into a relationship. He wouldn't have taken the news of Willowmist having a different mate very well.

Nightfrost and her still met in secret though. Lately, however, Willowmist hadn't been able to leave the Clan because of the kits she was expecting. Nightfrost caught her stare and twitched his ear indicating that he had seen her, but not wanting to draw attention from the Clan.

Willowmist finished her squirrel and began to groom her face. Lightningheart leaned over and began to clean her fur for her. She relaxed under his touch and dozed off.

When she woke up, the sun was going down and Lightningheart was curled next to her. She got up slowly so she didn't disturb him and padded heavily over to the fresh-kill pile. Nightfrost was there depositing a thrush he had caught while on patrol. He glanced at her and nosed it over to her.

Willowmist picked it up and gestured with her tail for him to join her. He looked uncertain but followed her anyways.

"Don't worry," she murmured. "I'm expecting kits; they won't think anything of us eating together."

Nightfrost nodded and sat on the opposite side of her, his icy gaze softening as he looked at her.

The two of them ate in silence. Lightningheart stirred over by the nursery and stood up. He padded groggily over to his mate and licked her head. Willowmist leaned into him and touched her nose to his shoulder fur.

A tremor shot through Willowmist and she wailed out in pain. Nightfrost shot to his feet and Lightningheart's fur bristled. Nightfrost pelted to the medicine cat's den and he came back out with Rosebud following him.

Rosebud's cream and red fur wasn't ruffled like the other's cats. She was calm and she ran her paw over Willowmist's belly.

"Your kits are on their way," Rosebud mewed. She gently pushed Willowmist to her paws and Lightningheart let her lean heavily on him.

Inside the nursery Willowmist dropped down on her side, panting hard. Lightningheart and Nightfrost were in the nursery with the two she-cats and there was no room for movement. Rosebud shooed them out. Nightfrost brought some borage to the nursery under Rosebud's request and Lightningheart brought back a wad of water soaked moss.

After what seemed like an eternity, Willowmist's first kit slid into the world. A few moments later her second one was born. She and Rosebud licked the newborn kittens with strong movements until they began to squeak and wriggle around, trying to find their mother's belly.

Rosebud pushed her way out of the den and Lightningheart walked in. His eyes softened and he purred at the sight of his kits. One was a skinny black she-kit and the other was a gray and white tom.

"What should we name them," he asked.

Willowmist looked at her kits. "How about Frostkit for the black one, and Mistkit for the gray and white one?"

Lightningheart nodded and bent his head to lick the kits' heads. "Welcome to the world Frostkit and Mistkit."

Rosebud pushed her head into nursery and told Lightningheart to leave so Willowmist could rest. He left unwillingly and she curled her body around her kits.

Nightfrost's scent washed over her and she looked behind her to see him sneaking into the back of the den. She purred and licked his ear.

"Say hello to your kits, Nightfrost."

"What do you mean 'his kits'?"

Willowmist's head snapped back to the entrance and she saw Lightningheart outlined in the moonlight. Nightfrost bristled next to her.

"What do you mean 'his kits'?" Lightningheart repeated, a growl in his voice now.

Willowmist's eyes widened with terror and guilt. He was never supposed to find out. Lightningheart was supposed to think that they kits were his. He was a good cat that deserved the truth though.

Nightfrost stepped forward. "Yes," he said calmly. "These are my kits."

Lightningheart whirled on Willowmist. "You lied to me!" he hissed. He unsheathed his claws and began scratching up the earth, his green eyes wild with rage.

Nightfrost crouched down, his own claws unsheathed, ready to attack.

Willowmist curled tighter around her kits, their squeaks of protest drowned out by their mother's pleas for the toms to stop.

Owlstar's huge brown form appeared in the den entrance and he growled as he shoved the two spitting toms out of the nursery. Willowmist got up to follow and stopped before stepping out of her nest, glancing helplessly at the den entrance and her newborn kits.

Ivyfur, the oldest queen in the Clan, appeared next to her and murmured for her to go, that she'd take care of her kits. Willowmist nodded and swept her tail of her kits before scrambling out of the den.

The deputy, Rowanpelt, had Nightfur pinned to the ground. Owlstar had Lightingheart pinned to the ground as well.

"What in Starclan's name are you two thinking?" he snarled, pressing Lightningheart harder into the ground. "Fighting? Much less in the nursery where a queen _just_ had kits!"

"Willowmist lied to me!" Lightningheart spat. "This fleabag is the father of her kits, not me!"

Owlstar turned towards Willowmist. "Is this true?"

She dipped her head solemnly. "Yes."

Owlstar let Lightningheart go and told him to talk to Willowmist. Rowanpelt and their leader dragged a snarling Nightfrost to the other side of the clearing and held him down there while the two cats talked.

"Why?" Lighningheart looked defeated, all the fight he had in him gone.

"Because I loved you both," she replied. "You're a wonderful cat and you deserve a mate and kits, and I thought you would be happy."

Lightningheart bristled. "You thought I would be happy thinking kits that _weren't _mine _were _mine?"

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I just wanted you to be happy. I love you!"

"Apparently no enough," he spat. "Or you would have told me the truth." Lightningheart turned on his heels and stalked off towards the warriors den, leaving a dejected Willowmist behind.

He was right. Willowmist thought that she had loved him, but she had just been sparing herself a hard situation to deal with.

Nightfrost's pelt brushed her and she turned to see him looking at her. She licked his cheek and walked back into the nursery to tend to her newborn kits, him following.


End file.
